Rust Blaster
By Yana Toboso
Aldred: I'm different from other vampires 'coz I don't have my own family weapon.
Principal: That's the reason why you'll be the one who'll save the world!!!
Aldred: What the heck... you serious, pops?
Kei: We'll be working together. And for you to fulfill your destiny and save your friends, you must first do one thing.
Aldred: And that is...?
Kei: Bite me.
Aldred: o_O
RATING: C+ (NOT BAD! One of the few decent vampire manga~)
FAVORITISM: 3 Hearts ---> LIKE (3.5 Hearts to Rengokuin xD)It may be too short but it was very enjoyable to read, especially if you're tired of those supernatural forbidden romances of a vampire and a human (not to mention the bonus emo crap!). If you find a vampire manga that focuses on the following elements: tragedy, blood, death, and evil; treasure it... they're freakin' rare.
There's lots to complain on Rust Blaster's story though. It felt really rushed; the story flow was quite a mess. There was a lot of cliche. Story background seemed lacking... causing several plot holes. The biggest disappointment was the ending. We don't even get to know how the hell the world was saved. And how the heck were they able to find the time to make those long goodbye speeches though their time is running out =_=
It tries to put too much drama... well, they could be sweet and sad... but sometimes they really felt forced. Quite inconsistent too... since someone who is supposed to be near death still survived even after he had just gone through what made him so close to death in the first place. It's like the mangaka made him have some drama on dying soon then made some unexplained miracle in order to keep him alive.
If story development hadn't been done very well, much less on the character development. It was okay with the main protagonists... but lacking a little on the antagonists.... but lacking a lot on the supporting characters. The one that is most lacking is the little girl.... it feels like she was only there for "cute and moe" fanservice. The story could've moved on without her. I'm most disappointed on was with the main guy's father. He's an interesting fellow with a significant role... but he only pops up when he feels like it and just has a line to show his doting side or to make a command or to explain things. Whut. My point is, I wish he was more involved in the story. He's supposed to be the elite among them after all, right? But he never acted as a father except for the time where he was doting on his son for the sake of comedy. Meh.
Despite all that, this really had a fun cast. My favorite's Rengokuin.... he's so adorable xD Yay scientist boy in a vampire series! Strangely, he's the most developed among the supporting characters. He's not just some kid who likes to invent kids. Oh not to mention he's so funny too xD Hahahahaha! I like his admiration to his leader and his adoration to his human friend~
Well, relationship development in this series had also been lacking but the mangaka managed to portray them wonderfully. You can see their strong bond... it's so touching. I'm also very pleased that the existence of a pretty female doesn't automatically make her the love interest. A guy biting a guy doesn't mean they're a couple (only those with wild imaginations see it.).
Speaking of bites, what kind of vampire manga that doesn't have bloodsucking scenes???
Ooooooooo.... it was so pretty xD *morbid girl* Ohohohoho~ I love the idea presented here that sucking blood from another isn't something pleasant. Doing something monstrous will make you a monster. There should always be something horrifying if you're gonna tell a story with vampires!
I really love it that even protagonists can become even scarier than the antagonists! The same if it's the other way around. Even the antagonists aren't really as bad as they've acted. There's a good and bad side in all of us. Splendid =3
Overall, I don't think it being only one volume is the main reason of Rust Blaster's flaws. But it's okay since despite its many flaws, Rust Blaster had been intriguing, thrilling, entertaining, and exciting! Its cast are so charming that it'll be easy to love some of them... even if they're a little stereotypical xD
